New Delhi: Saab AB has set up a wholly owned subsidiary - Saab India Technologies Private Limited - to strengthen its commitment as a long-term partner to the Indian defence industry, armed forces and national security, establishing India as a strategic home market of the future.

"Our commitment to the security of the Indian society manifests through R&D investments, customized solutions and tailor made offset projects. We are intensifying our operations in India with a long-term perspective contributing with technological know-how to the Indian defence industry," said Jan Widerström, Chairman of the board for Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

"We are also going to be partnering with Indian companies and they are going to be the backbone to our future into the Indian market. We are going to be indigenizing our products and it will only enhance our footprint to the Indian industry and the customer. The company will be headquartered in Delhi, however, we will have presence of our personnel in Bangalore and an R&D center in Hyderabad. So it will have a footprint primarily all over the country," said Inderjit Sial, Managing Director for Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Saab contributes, with its know-how and commitment, to development in India by strengthening an indigenous and independent defence base, transfer of technology and thus economic development enhancing civil security and thus social development.

"In Saab’s ambition to enable India to develop a strong distinct position with its developing defence industry, the company continues to develop its competence in India with a growing organisation bringing in Swedish experienced personnel and hiring local Indian expertise. Saab India Technologies is the preferred employer for all competence and resources under the Saab umbrella," says Inderjit Sial.

Saab offers its complete product range in India for all defence and aviation related business opportunities from underwater, land and aerospace.

"Saab has had a presence in India since day 1 and we have done business with the Indian customer starting from the 70s. We increased our presence through license agreement with factories and slowly we have increased our presence until today. We now feel that we should show our long-term commitment to India as a nation and to our Indian customers & one way of doing that is to transfer our liaison office to a fully owned subsidiary of Saab and a private entity," said Jan Widerström.

Saab signed its first license agreement in India very early in the relationship, which continues to be strengthened. Saab India Technologies Pvt. Ltd. is a result of a continuous presence in India together with the defence industry private and public sector as well as research and development organizations.

"India is a growing market and also a growing economic power and we see that in the near future, India will be an economic power. We want to be part of this growth and we are looking at India as one of the most important markets right now," said Jan.

"As far as the product line is concerned, all our 5 business areas are represented in the country. Aeronautics- we are still promoting the Gripen NG, we are looking at some civil aircraft reproduction,. On the dynamic side, we are looking at air defense part of our missile portfolio, so we are promoting the RBS70 NG and the Bramse. We also have multiple opportunities on the RBS15, on all 3 platforms. There are a number of products we are promoting on the ground management system, the combat system, the battlefield management system, camouflage, Saab 2000 in the maritime petrol version, supporting services. There is a variety of products we are promoting. It’s a very big portfolio," said Inderjit Sial.

"The definition of home market is that it is a prioritized, important market but it also means that we are willing to set our feet down in that market, including technology transfer, setting up R&D capability locally in the country and India is a perfect fit for that because of its vast engineering bank. All these different factors totally give us the answer that this is a home market for us so that’s what we are aiming at right now. So it means investments, R&D and technology transfer," explained Jan Widerström.